What Price Peace of Mind?

The devastating fire that damaged or destroyed 15 buildings, including a high-rise condominium, smaller apartment complexes and single-family homes in Westwood last weekend, provides yet another sad reminder of the importance of sprinklers in high-rise buildings.

There were no sprinklers in the 14-story Wilshire Terrace, next door to the construction site where the fire broke out. Sprinklers, according to fire department experts, could have kept the fire from spreading throughout the high-rise and minimized the massive destruction, which accounted for 75% of the total loss estimated at $25 million.

Everyone knows that automatic sprinklers save lives and property by containing or extinguishing blazes before the flames can spread, but property owners and renters often balk at the cost.

Installing sprinklers costs anywhere from $1.25 to $3.50 per square foot in new construction, according to builders and fire experts. In older buildings, the price ranges from $4 to $7 per square foot. If asbestos must be removed, the cost can run $20 per square foot or more. It’s a hefty sum, but phasing in the requirement can spread the expense over several years.

Current state laws require sprinklers in all high-rises built after 1974. After last year’s inferno at the First Interstate Tower, which killed one person and did $45 million in damage, Mayor Tom Bradley proposed mandatory sprinklers for all high-rise buildings, commercial and residential properties in the city of Los Angeles. The City Council approved the commercial requirement, but rejected the life-saving measure for residential high-rises after owners complained about the costs.

The high cost of sprinklers is certainly a problem, especially for senior citizens or renters on fixed incomes, but what is the price of peace of mind? Better to bear the expense of sprinklers then to bear the burden of losing everything or a loved one. Public safety warrants mandatory sprinklers in all high-rise buildings.